This applies for opening an envelope of the type where glue is preadded on typically both sides (so you wont need to lick them): When opening the envelope rather quickly in the dark, a blue light (like a tiny lightening) is emitted from glued surface. It only works if the envelope is opened fast. Can anyone explain this phenomena and what type of glue is used?
Regards Lucas Jensen
2007-12-19 17:02:49 · 6 answers · asked by Lucas 1 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Physics
Its called triboluminescence and the phenomenon has been observed, if not explained very well, for centuries. Read the Wikipedia article, which has links to other web sites that expand on this subject. Also use your favorite search engine to find links to "triboluminescence". Hard and fast crunching down on a Wintergreen flavor "Life Saver" in a darkened room is an easy way to see triboluminescence.
2007-12-19 17:53:20 · answer #1 · answered by hevans1944 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Light Blue Envelopes
2016-11-07 04:06:09 · answer #2 · answered by ? 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The blue light is most likely nitrogen luminescence in a strong electric field. Where the field comes from is a different problem. Actually, it does not have to be a very strong field, at all. Think about a plate capacitor. The capacitance is proportional to the inverse of the distance between the plates. If you put a small charge on it when the plates are close together, there will be a small voltage. Now pull the plates apart. The charge will not change, but the capacitance will fall and because Q=C*U, the voltage will go up. If the distance between the plates is increased by a factor of 10000, the voltage will rise by a factor of 10000. Start with a small potential difference of 1V. That's about as much as one can expect from simple electrochemical effects. After pulling apart the two plates you have 10000... plenty of voltage to lead to a gas discharge at 1mm distance.
2007-12-19 19:47:16 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
When you open the envelope some bonds in the glue which is stickied are broken .when all this happens in rapid way there is no equal distribution of the charges which binded the bond there fore unequal charge distribution takes place in glue .A spark is observed to neutralize the charge and due to presence of nitrogen in air .It absorbs some energy and then it emits blue light.
2007-12-20 02:12:42 · answer #4 · answered by Joshua 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Triboluminescence.
2007-12-19 17:40:09 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Fascinating. I haven't observed this, but take it to be some static electricity event. Any other answerers?
2007-12-19 17:09:39 · answer #6 · answered by Thomas E 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋